Up until now our weather has been fairly quiet despite being Atlantic influenced. This quiet spell is all about to change as we head through the all important Christmas week.

Waves of frigid arctic air are sweeping off North America out over the Atlantic is firing a super charged jet stream, helping develop lows into major storm systems. Ireland and the UK is in the firing line as the protective Europe high which has allowed temps to dive into the -30s C over eastern Turkey will shift into western Asia.

These GFS 850mb temp anomaly charts shows the arctic air sweeping out over the Atlantic and eventually reaching the UK as well as significantly enhancing cyclogenesis with steep thermal gradient.

 

These lows transporting arctic air across the Atlantic mean a significant snow is expected over Highland Scotland through the next week.

Wednesday sees the first major frontal system sweep across Ireland and the UK likely widespread gales and the first severe gales of the season to Northern Ireland and Scotland.

Because these lows are entraining Alaskan/Yukon origin air, snow levels look to drop sharply in the wake of the cold front with increased risk of low level snow I think later Wednesday into Thursday.

Another high pressure lull kicks in Thursday before two stronger lows make a pass over the UK Friday, Saturday and Sunday with risk of severe gales, flooding rain and snow with blizzard conditions over high ground.

GFS meteograms show snow and 1 inch accumulation for Belfast and Glasgow Friday, Christmas Eve and even Christmas Day.

Though no accumulation, it sees snow in Manchester and even down to Heathrow.

Watch this morning’s video.